Bowel diseases – such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, or previous bowel polyps

Other diseases

The study confirmed links between bowel cancer and some of these established risk factors such as family history, physical activity and smoking.

A healthy dietary pattern was found to be associated with a deceased risk of bowel cancer.

The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program offers free screening tests to Australians turning 50, 55, 60 or 65. It involves a simple test called a Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) which can be conducted at home and sent for analysis.